"Audeze LCD-2 and LCD-3 and prototype closed headphone - I still prefer the LCD-3 over the other two, and the LCD-2 r2 is still a bit better than my LCD-2 r1 (or is it R3 now that the cable connector is different). I'm going to have to make the change to an r2 once and for all, even though the r1 on the right DAC and amp are fantastic. I've just finally gotten my LCD-2 broken in so that they don't clamp my head too tight, and I'm reluctant to change that. Might have to stick with used. If the LCD-3 were closer to $1,300 - $1,400 I'd probably already own a pair (and would have bought them long before I had to fight to keep my head above water to pay for kid's college - now it's too late). The closed headphones had tight fast bass, but not enough of it to make me happy. They didn't have the colorations that typically plague a closed headphones, so already on the right path there."

Unless the drivers are completely different as well.
Reminds me back then there was a thread with a person that was interested in making headphones that can operate both in open or closed format. Did the other folks of Head-Fi ridicule him or what! If this prototype is exactly a replacement part for the grills, I do wish those people apologize. Either way they still should.
Anyway, loving the looks of this one!

Wait, that would make it a loser. Why would I buy a headphone that sounds just like another headphone (unless it's cheaper) -- especially if made by the same company? AKG received a lot of heat for the Q701, which was essentially a superficial, albeit appealing, makeover of the K701 with minute changes. I want a new headphone, not a cosmetic iteration of the same headphone switched over to closed-back. Now, if it sounds as good as the LCD-2/3, it'll be a winner.

Nope...you've completely missed my point. If they can give me all of my LCD-3 goodness and offer great isolation and minimal leakage, that would be HUGE. I could then have my LCD-3s for when no one is around and these puppies for when I need some isolation.

Giving all the benefits and sound of an open headphone, yet providing the extra isolation for a closed headphone that would otherwise allow you to dig deeper into the recording for extra detail, that always seems like a good thing to me.

Giving all the benefits and sound of an open headphone, yet providing the extra isolation for a closed headphone that would otherwise allow you to dig deeper into the recording for extra detail, that always seems like a good thing to me.

Exactly, in a noise environment these will have a bid advantage in terms of the noise floor therefore better details, better dynamics, no need to try to drown out external noise by turning up volume and damaging your hearing.

Not sure I would use these on the move though, the whole leather airtight seal pressure change thing would be pretty uncomfortable and distracting, might be alright with the vegan pads.

I look forward to a face off between these and the Ultrasone Sig Pros.

I know this is head-fi and all but come on who the heck would go mobile with those things on. You put those huge wood cans on and try running around the mall/grocery store/ whatever or riding the bus/train/plane/whatever people are going to think you're soft in the head for the simple fact these are wooden headphone that are obviously not meant for mobile use. Throw in the headphones cables which to the untrained eye look like jumper cables for a car and people are going to be rolling on the floor laughing at such an absurd sight. I'm not trying to troll, I'm just saying you want great sounding mobile cans there's cans out there that would fit the bill far better then these Audeze cans which by it's very looks tells me they were never engineered or intended for mobile use.

I know this is head-fi and all but come on who the heck would go mobile with those things on. You put those huge wood cans on and try running around the mall/grocery store/ whatever or riding the bus/train/plane/whatever people are going to think you're soft in the head for the simple fact these are wooden headphone that are obviously not meant for mobile use. Throw in the headphones cables which to the untrained eye look like jumper cables for a car and people are going to be rolling on the floor laughing at such an absurd sight. I'm not trying to troll, I'm just saying you want great sounding mobile cans there's cans out there that would fit the bill far better then these Audeze cans which by it's very looks tells me they were never engineered or intended for mobile use.

Sounds like vanity is more important than performance for you. Some of us aren't so insecure.

Sounds like vanity is more important than performance for you. Some of us aren't so insecure.

Well to be perfectly honest, a lot of people, myself included, use closed-back headphones for mobile listening. Having a 1 pound, ancient, clunky-looking headphone on your head with no folding mechanism isn't exactly portable. Sure the earcups may lie flat like the other LCD's, but the earcups with the earpads are nearly 3 inches thick. Even if this new Audeze headphone performs spectacularly sonically, for people like me, it is a completely dysfunctional headphone for my purposes. Not to mention that if you dropped it, I wouldn't want to know what would happen to the wood.

Sounds like vanity is more important than performance for you. Some of us aren't so insecure.

Vanity has nothing to do with it. Unlike others I'm smart enough to know there are great sounding headphones/IEM's/CIEM's out there that were designed for mobile use in mind, which these were not designed for. But hey whatever floats your boat dude. Enjoy the neck pain, I'm sure your chiropractor really loves your business and the people in your town appreciate the comedic relief when they see you jogging down the bike trail with your Audeze headphones.

I know this is head-fi and all but come on who the heck would go mobile with those things on. You put those huge wood cans on and try running around the mall/grocery store/ whatever or riding the bus/train/plane/whatever people are going to think you're soft in the head for the simple fact these are wooden headphone that are obviously not meant for mobile use. Throw in the headphones cables which to the untrained eye look like jumper cables for a car and people are going to be rolling on the floor laughing at such an absurd sight. I'm not trying to troll, I'm just saying you want great sounding mobile cans there's cans out there that would fit the bill far better then these Audeze cans which by it's very looks tells me they were never engineered or intended for mobile use.

Well they are obviously not suited for the commuting type. These puppies probably don't even come close to the needed isolation for commuting.

However in some households people are bundled together in the same room, and really can't have the amount of leakage that an open headphone has.

I could not use my hd650 more than a couple of hours a week without disturbing my girlfriend. So yeah, they have purpose.

Vanity has nothing to do with it. Unlike others I'm smart enough to know there are great sounding headphones out there that were designed for mobile use in mind, which these were not designed for. But hey whatever floats your boat dude enjoy the neck pain, I'm sure your chiropractor really loves your business.

**Whoosh**

I know this is head-fi and all but come on who the heck would go mobile with those things on. You put those huge wood cans on and try running around the mall/grocery store/ whatever or riding the bus/train/plane/whatever people are going to think you're soft in the head for the simple fact these are wooden headphone that are obviously not meant for mobile use. Throw in the headphones cables which to the untrained eye look like jumper cables for a car and people are going to be rolling on the floor laughing at such an absurd sight. I'm not trying to troll, I'm just saying you want great sounding mobile cans there's cans out there that would fit the bill far better then these Audeze cans which by it's very looks tells me they were never engineered or intended for mobile use.

I'm not talking about these particular headphones, but your sensitivity with regards to how others perceive you, which ultimately seems to be the real reason why you make certain choices. Sure these LCD2closed might be bad for mobile use or maybe even commute use, but plenty of audiophiles use full-sized closed headphones along with a whole portable setup for long commutes and they don't give two jacks about what some random thinks of; it's easy to pack up a big headphone and portable amp etc into your travelling case or bag.

I know this is head-fi and all but come on who the heck would go mobile with those things on. You put those huge wood cans on and try running around the mall/grocery store/ whatever or riding the bus/train/plane/whatever people are going to think you're soft in the head for the simple fact these are wooden headphone that are obviously not meant for mobile use. Throw in the headphones cables which to the untrained eye look like jumper cables for a car and people are going to be rolling on the floor laughing at such an absurd sight. I'm not trying to troll, I'm just saying you want great sounding mobile cans there's cans out there that would fit the bill far better then these Audeze cans which by it's very looks tells me they were never engineered or intended for mobile use.

I'm not talking about these particular headphones, but your sensitivity with regards to how others perceive you, which ultimately seems to be the real reason why you make certain choices. Sure these LCD2closed might be bad for mobile use or maybe even commute use, but plenty of audiophiles use full-sized closed headphones along with a whole portable setup for long commutes and they don't give two jacks about what some random thinks of; it's easy to pack up a big headphone and portable amp etc into your travelling case or bag.

You know what, what I originally wrote was just a passing comment and was more meant for a couple of laughs but apparently you're sensitive to comments about wearing huge cans in public and think you're making some sort of audiophile right of passage statement. Tell you what, wear your Audeze and whatever other huge can you may have anywhere you like to your hearts content and enjoy your music. Oh by the way so that you know, I'm sure it is easy to pack up a huge headphone but it's even easier to pack up a flagship CIEM and even easier to walk out the door and travel anywhere you want in comfort and have by far better isolation then any Audeze headphone could give you and also have the same or nearly the same performance without having to wear a big huge headphone on your head. But hey what do I know. I'm sensitive to how I would look in public that's why I don't buy huge heavy cans that leak everywhere and use them on a jog through my neighborhood, right. It's not I'm using my head and know there's far better mobile options out there that match or nearly match the performance of some cans it's just I'm being self conscious, right. Bah, I'm so done with this thread. Enjoy your LCD 2/3 with 5 dollar wood covers and extra 20 dollars worth of dampening.